The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-12-01
THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM
DISCOURSE BY REV. DR.. TALMAGE
+ AT THE TABERNACLE.

DISCOURSE BY REV. DR.. TALMAGE
AT THE TABERNACLE.
The Gospel the Fountain of Perpetual
Youth-Skeptics Measure Eternity with
an Hour Glass and the Throne of God
with a Yard Stick.
BROOKLYN, Nov. 27.-This morning
at the Tabernacle, after explaining appro-
pirate passages of Scripture, the Rev. T.
De Witt Talmage, DID, gave out the
following hymn, that was sung by the
congregation with great heartiness:
Buried in sorrow and in sin
At hes dark door we lay;
But we arise by grace divine,
To see a glorious day
The subject of the sermon was Thirst
in a Cavern and the text, 'Oh that
one would give me drink of the water of
the well of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate!'-II Samuel xiii, IS.
War, always distressing, is especially
ruinous in harvest time. When the crops
;.rc all ready for the sickle, to have them
trodden down by cavalry horses and
heavy supply trains gullying the fields, is
enough to make any mans heart sick.
When the last great war broke out in
Europe, and France and Germany were
coming into horrid collision, rode across
their golden fields, and saw the tents
pitched, and the trenches dug in the very
midst of the ripe fields, the long scythe
Of battle sharpening to NOV down har-
vests of men in great winrows of the
u. pt 41,fsY 80 l,s-7-
vest that the army of the PhiIstines
came down upon Bethlehem. Harl to
the camor of their voices. the neigiiing
or their chargers, the blare Of their
t7mpets, and the clash of their shieljs!
Let David and his men fall back! The
Lords host sometimes loses the day. But
David knew where to hide. He had
Eccn brought up in that country. Boys
are inqusitive and they know all about
the region where they were born and
brought up. If you should go back to
the old homestead, you could, with your
eyes shut, find your way to the meadow,
or the orchard, or the hill back of the
house, with which you Were familiar
4hitty or forty years ago. So David
knew the cave Of Adullam. Perhaps, in
liis boYhOod days, he had played ''hIde
and seek with his comrades all about
the Old cave: and though others might
no. have known it, David did. Travellers
say there is only one way of getting into
that cave, and that is by very narrow
path: but David was stout, and steady
headed, and steady nerved, and SO, with
his three brave staff officers, he goes
along that path, finds his way into the
cave. sits down, looks around at the roof
and the dark passages of the mountain,
feels very weary with the forced march,
ana water he must have, or die. | do
not know but there may have been drops
triclling down the side of the cavern, OF
that there may have been some water in
the gOatskm slung to his girdle; but that
WIS not what he wanted. He wanted u
decp, full, cold drink, such as a man gets
only out of an old well with moss COW
cred bucket David remembered that
very near that cave Of Adullam there
was such well as that, a well to which
Ie used to go in boyhood-the well of
BstlLahem; and be almost imagines that
Ile can hear the liquid plash of that well,
and his parched tongue moves through
his hot lips as he says: "Oh, that one
would give me drink of the water of the
well of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate!''
1t was no sooner said than done. The
three brave staff officers bound to their
feet and start. Brave soldiers will take
even a hint from their commander. But
between them and the well lay the host
OF ihe Philistines; and what could three
men do with a great army? Yet where
there is a will there is way, and, with
their swords slashing this way and that,
thsv make their path to the we'll While
the Phillstines are amazed at the SEEM
ing foolhardiness Of these three men,
and cannot make up their minds exact y
what it means, the three men have come
to the well. They drop the bucket.
They bring up the water. They pour il
in the palI, and then start for the cave.
sss,top theni" cry the Philistines. ''CliI
them with your swords! Stab them with
your spears! Stop those three men!
Too late! They have got around the hill.
The hot rocks are splashed with the over
flowing water from the vessel as 1t Is
carried up the cliffs. The three men
40 along the dangerous path, and with
cheeks flushed with the excitement. and
all out of breath in their haste, they
fling their swords, red with the sl1irmish,
10 the side of the cave and cry out tc
David, There, captain of the host, is
what you wanted, drink of the well OF
Bethlehem, which is by the gate.
A text is of no Use to me unless | car
find Christ in it, and unless / can bring {
gospel out of these words that win arouse
and comfort and bless, shall wish haC
never seen them; for your time would b'
wasted, and against my soul the darl
record would be made that this day
stood before Il great audience of shining
suffering and diving men, and told then
of no rescue. BY the cross of the Son 0
God, bv the throne of the eternal judg
mant, that shall not be! May the Lore
Jesus help me to tell you the truth TO
day!
You know that carrier pigeons hav
Sometimes letters tied under the wing
and they fly hundreds Of miles-10
miles in an hour-carrying message
SO have thought would like to have
now. Oh, heavenly Dove! bring unda
thy wing today, to my soul and to tn
souls of this people, some message c
Light, and love, and peace!
II is not an unusual thing to see pee
nj gather around a well in summe
time The husbandman puts down hi
cr7dle at tho well curb; the builder put
down his trowel the traveller puts dow
ms pack. Then one draws the water fc
nll The rest, himself taking the very las
The cup is passed around, and the fire
OF (hirst are put out the traveller star
on his journey, and the workman tak'
u his burden.
My friends. we come today aroun
tie Gospel well. We put down our pac
q burdens and our implements of toi
One man must draw the water for tho'
Vao have gathered around the well.
VIII try and draw the water today; an
e, after / have poured out from this Ii
iUr fountain for your soul, just taste
ii myself, you viii not begrudge me
saz Ks